Lightning-rod attachment for windm i lls



(N0 Model.) 8 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

E. O. DANIELS.

LIGHTNING ROD ATTACHMENT FOR WINDMILLS. No. 377,742. v y Patented Feb.14, 1888.

(No Model.) 2 Sheet sSheet 2.

E. 0. DANIELS.

LIGHTNING ROD ATTACHMENT FOR WINDMILLS.

No. 377,742. Patented Feb. 14. 1888.

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, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE O. DANIELS, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

LIGHTNING-ROD ATTACHMENT FOR WINDMILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,742, dated February14, 1888.

' Application filed August 25, 1887. Serial No. 247.853. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE O. DANIELS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning-RodAttachments to Windmills, of which the following is aspecification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in lightning-rods for windmills;and theinvention consists, in a broad sense, of means for securing aproper constant and yielding electrical contact between that portionofthe lightningrod which is secured to the stationary part of thewindmill structure and that portion which is carried by the movableportion or the mechanism of the windmill.

The invention also consists of an annular track or table composed of orcovered with an electrical conductor with which that portion of thelightning-rod which runs to the ground is connected, and of a spindleyieldingly and rotatably connected with that portion of the rod which issecured to the movable portion of the windmill, and having acontactwheel adapted to run upon the said track and maintain contacttherewith irrespective of the IIlPfiGmenbS of the upper mechanism of them1 In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,and on which like reference-letters indicate corresponding features,Figure 1 represents a perspective View of the upper end of awindmill-tower and the essential portion of the windmill proper, showingmy improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, an enlarged detail sideelevation of the upper end of the tower and the contact-track, showingthe sections of the rod respectively con nected with the track andrunning upon it; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail vertical sectional view ofthe lower end of the section of a tubular lightning-rod and thecoupling-sleeve and a side elevation of the spindle and contact-wheel,showing the pressure-spring in the interior; Fig. 4, adetailsectionalview showing the arrangement of the sleeve and coupling used with theordinary spiral or other solid rod; Fig. 5, a transverse sectional viewof a towerbeam and the tubular rod, showing aconnecting-bracket in planview.

The letter A designates the platform, and

the letter B the upper beams, of a windmilltower, upon which latter ismounted the mechanism of the windmill proper, which may be of any of theknown styles. In the style shown, which is essentially like a windmillnow on the market, the letter O designates one of the uprights,whichextends from the upper portion of the turn-table and forms a part of theupper structure or frame of the mill. It is to this upright that Ipreferably secure in any convenient manner, as by the brackets D, theupper section or sections E of the lightning-rod, which terminates inthe usual point, F. The lower end of the section or sections E isprovided with an annular groove, G, and a coupling-sleeve, H, is fittedinto it and provided with a coincident groove. In these grooves anannularlocking-wire, I, is inserted to secure the sleeve and sectiontogether.

A contact device is fitted to work up and down and rotatably in thesleeve H, and in the present instance this device consists of a spindle,J, carrying the contact-roller K at its lower end, which is adapted totravel upon the contact-track presently to be described. The spindle Jis shouldered at L and a spiral spring fitted over the reduced portionand between said shoulder and a shoulder, M, in the sleeve H. Thislatter shoulder is bored centrally to receive and guide the upper end ofthe spindle, which is provided with a pin, N, or other enlargement, toprevent its being forced entirely out of the sleeve by the action of thespring. The tendency of the spring is to project the contact deviceconstantly against the contacttrack and to allow said device to yield toany obstructions upon the surface of the said track-as, for instance,twigs, accumulations of dirt, ice, 850., at difi'erent places along thetrack, as the case may beand also to any inaccuracy in the face of thetrack. The freedom of the spindle to rotate allows the contact-wheel toreadily follow as the sleeve is carried back and forth round the trackby any change in the position of the mechanism of the windmill due to achange in the direction of the wind. I have termed the spindle androller as the contact device, because I wish to be understood as notconfining myself to this particular form of construction, although Iprefer it; nor do I confine myself to the use of a tubularlightning-rod, as I have illustrated another form in Fig. 4; nor yet isthe form of locking device between the coupling H and the tubular rodthe only form that I contemplate using.

In Fig. 4 it will be observed that the sleeve H has a threaded tenon onthe upper end, which enters a coupling, 0, which in turn receives asimilar tenon, P, of a twisted or other form of lightning-rod.

The letter Q refers to the contact-track, the detail construction ofwhich is a matter largely within the discretion and choice of themechanic or builder. The construction I prefer, however, is that shown,which consists of a sheet of copper cut in the form of an annulus withits outer edges turned down, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and secured to acircular framework, It, supported by four cross-pieces, S, secured tothe tower-beams, and by the brackets T, secured to said cross-pieces. Incutting the sheet Q, I prefer to cut one of the outer edges or piecessomewhat larger than the others and to bend it into a sleeve, U, as seenin Figs. 1 and 2, for the purpose of forming a pocket into which theupper end of the upper section of the stationary portion of the rod isfitted. This forms a cheap and ready means of securing a long andintimate contact between the said section and the track. The altitude ofthe track with respect to the turntable of the mill may be varied atpleasure, though I prefer to locate it comparatively near theturn-table, as suggested in Fig. 1. All matters of relative arrangement,however, and largely that of the detail construction, must varyaccording to the individual construction of the different mills to whichmy invention is applied.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a convenient form of the bracket forsecuring the rod to the mill structure, the same consisting of twoplates, V, bolted to the structure and to each other and havingcoincident semicircular depressions, which together form a seat for therod. A hole may be made through the wall of the sleeve H in the formshown in Fig. 4 for the passage of the pin N when insertingit into theupper end of the spindle J.

I would observe that while it is desirable to protect windmills locatedin the open fields against the destructive effects of lightning, it

is more particularly desirable that they should be protected withlightning-rods when located in close proximity to dwellings or barns,and especiallyso when placed upon barns, as is now very commonly done.It will be noticed that to rod the barn and then place a windmill uponit, about which there is a great deal of iron-work, portions of which(for instance, the vertical shaft) often run down into the barn, iscomparatively useless unless the mill also were provided with alightning rod. Hence it will be seen that in protecting the windmill Ialso protect the barn.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the stationary structure of a windmill and anannular track ofconductive material and a portion of a lightning-rodelectrically connected with the said track, of the movable or turningportion ofthe windmill, aportion ofa lightni ng-rodconnected thereto,and a spindle connected with the said portion by a yielding joint, and acontactwheel carried by the spindle and in engage ment with the track.

2. The combination, with a lightning-rod section, of a sleeve connectedthereto, and a contact device consisting of a spindle rotatably mountedin the sleeve and spring which projects the spindle away from the rod,and the contactroller carried by the spindle.

3. The combination, with the stationary structure ofa windmill, acontact-surface supported thereby, a portion of a lightning-rodelectrically connected with said surface, the movable or turning portionof the windmill, and a portion ofa lightning-rod secured thereto, of adistinct yielding contact device connected to the latter portion of thesaid rod and normally projected against the said contactsurface, wherebyelectrical contact is maintained when the movable portion of the millchanges to the direction of the wind, and whereby the contact yields toaccumulations upon said surface, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ai'iix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE O. DANIELS.

Witnesses.

W. A. STOUT, J. 0. PARSONS.

